Conservative leadership rivals David Davis and David Cameron have accused each other of opportunism.

Tory MPs must not vote with "dinosaur" Labour MPs against public service reforms which make sense, Mr Cameron warned during a televised debate.

Mr Davis, meanwhile, said his rival's "u-turns" on health, immigration and education smacked of inconsistency.

The pair were speaking in a head-to-head debate on ITV1's Jonathan Dimbleby programme.

The pair clashed on drugs policy, tax and licensing reform but the question of tactics paved the way for the most heated exchanges.

Shadow education secretary Mr Cameron said the party should not be afraid to support Prime Minister Tony Blair over issues it agreed with.

We don't want to be an accomplice in a confidence trick on the British public

David Davis

Mr Cameron, 39, said: "The alternatives are either back them and say yes let's improve it further.

"Or go through the divisions lobbies in the House of Commons with Frank and Jeremy Corbyn and people who, frankly, if you put them in the Natural History Museum the dinosaurs would walk out in objection."

That would be "too opportunistic", he argued.

Mr Davis, on the other hand has pledged not to "prop up" the prime minister.

Tory voters had been deceived by "used car salesman" Mr Blair on previous occasions, he said.

Tories initially backed reforms for licensing and the expansion of casinos only for Mr Blair to change his mind, he added.

"We don't want to be an accomplice in a confidence trick on the British public."

The Conservative Party has got to look at the fact not that we lost an election but that we lost three